I have solved the problem. I will give a general solution here, as well as relative details that how did I solved the problem.

Firstly, I want to mention that it is not due to the Technology Library. I tried another technology, the problem still exists, only with some minor difference that the new tech inductors are bad that they are not kept a output, while the new tech mosfets are good and time domain phase noise contributed by them can be plotted.

Secondly, I compared the expressions that can be plotted with those can not be plotted. The plottable expressions are, e.g.

【a】Idd = real(value(i("/VVDD/MINUS" ?result "pss_fd") 0))

【b】Output Noise (V^2/Hz) = value(pow(getData("out" ?result "pnoise_td") 2) 1000000)

while the unplottable expressions include

【c】Noise Contributed by /NM1 = value(pow(pv("/NM1" "total" ?result "pnoise_td") 1) 1000000).

The warning comes that pow(nil 1) is wrong, pow can not handle nil. I first type pv("/NM1" "total" ?result "pnoise_td") in CIW, and the messages seems to be messy. So I get to Results Browser (ADE→Tools→Results Browser...). Now, in ~/simulation/......../schematic/psf → pnoise-timedomain.pnoise, it contains "out", this is why expression 【b】 is plottable. On the other hand, in expression 【c】, the function 'pv' can not find a file named "total", which is in the directory down one level, such as "NM1/main". This leads to the error.

Next, I found the pv function in the software document "$CDSHOME/doc/oceanref/oceanref.pdf", page 159. I tried to replace "/NM1" by "/NM1/main", and tried to replace "total" by "main/total" "./main/total", and tried to use "?resultsDir" etc., but they did not work.

Finally and most important, I went back to Results Browser, and find the noise file named "total" below "/NM1/main", right mouse button click the file "total", click "calculator". Now the correct expression is in calculator, which should be :

pv("NM1.main" "total" ?result "pnoise-timedomain.pnoise").



The pxf problem can also be solved this way to a certain extent, with the exception that, in pxf-pxf, there might be no result for some terminal, such as "L1/PLUS", but only some others like "C1/PLUS". Then it seems you have to add some vdc in series or idc in parallel with the inductor L1.



In a word:

(1) use "Results Browser" to open the psf;
(2) find the result file, like "total" "fn" etc. under the component directory;
(3) right mouse button click the file and click "calculator".

Then you will get the correct expression.



BTW, it should be emphasized that main noise is not total noise contributed by mosfet, which should be obvious.

jqjqjq
July 16 2013